Pride comes before the Falls
by Anne-Lilian
Summary: Two-shot. Sonny refuses to admit her feelings for Chad. The rest of the Randoms challenge her... And what is Zora planning? S/C, mention of T/N. Rated T cuz I'm paranoid
1. A seed planted

**A/N:**** Hey guys! No, I'm not dead, and yes, I'm still working on my other stories, but this popped into my head, and I just couldn't resist.  
This moves along faster than any story I've ever written, but I'm glad with how it's going so far ^^  
I got this idea in the middle of the night, and it's not beta-ed, so forgive any mistakes I left in there, just review or PM me if you find any.**

**The first chapter is sort of sad, but tell me whet you think anyway, R&R!**

**dedication: I simply love Zora, and there aren't enough fanfictions about her. She's funny, weird, brilliant and creepy all in one! That's why I this fic is dedicated to Allisyn Ashley Arm a.k.a. Zora. You're brilliant! ^^**

**enjoy!

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**Pride comes before the Falls**

**Chapter one: A seed planted**

**Third person POV**

Sonny had always been proud. She didn't show it often, but she was, she just couldn't help it.

When she was little, she was proud of the finger-paint painting she had made. So much so that she had put it on the porch for the whole neighbourhood to see.

She was proud when she wrote her first song, she was proud when she made her first joke, when she had her own website, when she joined So Random! …

The point is, she was proud. But she had never thought of it as a bad quality, in fact, she often thought of it as the trait that gave her her self confidence.

But the day it cost her the love of her life (probably), she never hated it more.

It began the day before, in the Condor studios cafeteria, where she and her fellow cast-members were eating a late breakfast.

**Sonny POV**

"Oh, God, here he comes again," I muttered under my breath.

"Who-?" Nico started, but he needn't have asked.

"Randoms," The oh-so familiar voice of one Chad Dylan Cooper sounded right above her head.

"Good morning, Sonny," he greeted in a _much_ too sweet voice.

"What do you want, Cooper," I asked with clenched teeth, already annoyed with him, as he brought his head to her right.

"I'm just wishing you a good morning. It is a sad day when a handsome, talented, smart, creative-"

Man, he was pissing me off! I know! I swore, just let me be okay! "Get to your point, Chad!" I yelled.

"-genius as myself can't wish his friend a good morning," he finished.

I was taken aback. "You think of me as your friend?" I asked him incredulously.

"Why of course I do, otherwise I would've never talked to you so much. Well, toodles," he said and walked off.

I looked at the guys for back up, but only Zora was still sitting there, pointedly ignoring me.

"Hey, Sonny?" _His_ voice sounded again. I turned to look at him, just in time to see him roll an apple over his arm and shoulder and then bouncing it off his other elbow right into my hands.

"Catch ya later," he said and walked out of the cafeteria for real this time.

"What just happened?" I asked no one in particular.

"Bonding," Zora said from behind her trigonometry book.

"What?" I shrieked. How could she think that? Bonding? Me and Chad?

"Simple; Chad was nice to you for no particular reason, he wasn't mean to us, and he gave you something without expecting something in return," she explained, still with her nose in her book.

"But what about WIIFC? What's in it for Chad?"

"He changed," Zora said calmly, closed her book, and walked out.

I sat silently for a while. Could Zora be right? Had Chad really changed?

* * *

**Later, Chad POV**

I sat in my dressing room, shaking slightly. I'd never just been nice to my Sonny, and although it felt good, I didn't know what she thought.

Someone knocked. "I'm busy!" I yelled.

"It's me, moron," Zora replied as she walked in.

"Oh… Well, what did she say?" I asked, in desperate need of some good news.

"The seed is planted, and all it needs right now is some time, water and sun. Me being the water and sun being you," she smiled.

"You know, you really creep me out," I commented to the youngest star of So Random!

"I creep everybody out," she responded with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She put her fingertips together, and for a second I thought she was going to do the evil laugh.

"Well, thanks anyway, I do want to be friends with Sonny," I changed the subject.

"You're welcome," she said and _glided_ backwards toward the vent.

Another second and she was gone.

… Who was I kidding? I didn't want to be Sonny's friend, I wanted to be more, that's why I called her _my_ Sonny but I wasn't that dense that I didn't get that it was never going to happen.

If I couldn't be her boyfriend, I'd have to settle for the next best ting.

* * *

**In the meantime, prop house, Sonny POV**

"Hey guys," I said as I walked in.

Grady and Nico were playing some video game while Tawni was checking her reflection in a cooking pot. … Why was there a cooking pot in the prop house?

The game was paused immediately, and Tawni redirected her attention to me, which made me feel sort of uncomfortable.

"What's up, guys?" I asked in a nervous voice.

"What's up, is that we know your little secret," Tawni said.

"What?" my voice was getting high again.

"You like Chad," Grady accused.

"What? No! I do _not_ like Chad!" I protested.

"Then prove it, I dare you to kiss Chad, look him in the eyes and tell him truthfully you didn't feel a thing." Tawni's voice was menacing.

"What? No! I will not kiss Chad!" They didn't actually think they could make me do that, did they?

"Fine, then you're off the show. Until you do it, I'm going to make sure you won't be doing anymore sketches." Apparently Tawni was the spokesperson, since all the guys did was nod and look angry.

My mouth fell open, They couldn't do this to me! … And yet, they just did. Damn.

"Oh, fine, I'm going to do it right now!" I said angrily, and stomped out the door, closely followed by my co-stars.

We made our way swiftly to the McKenzie Falls set, where I walked onto the ongoing scene, grabbed Chad by the front of his clothes, and crushed my lips to his.

I hadn't thought I'd feel anything, much less this much emotion. Our lips danced together, and Chad put his arms around my waist. One of my hands rested around his shoulders, while the other grabbed hold of his hair in an attempt to bring his closer to her.

And that's when I realized it. I didn't _want_ to let go. If the world ended right there, I'd be perfectly happy, because nothing else mattered, but that I was kissing Chad, and that he was kissing back.

I was getting lost in the kiss as Chad gently bit my lower lip.

But then reality slapped me in the face. For _months_ I had told everyone I didn't like Chad, that I hated him even. I wanted so badly to break the kiss and tell my friends and the whole world that I'd finally fallen for Chad Dylan Cooper… But I was proud. I didn't want to be wrong, and I didn't want my friends to look at me with disgusted expressions…

'_Time to girl up, Sonny'_ I told myself, and broke the kiss.

Only now did I realise how quiet it had gotten on the normally busy set. I swallowed hard and tried not to think of the heartache I was already feeling, of the heartache I was going to inflict on the boy I loved.

I pulled out my best acting skills, cleared my face and looked Chad right in his beautifully blue eyes.

"I didn't feel anything," I said quietly, turned around and walked out. My heels being the only sound on the otherwise quiet set.

* * *

**Ten minutes earlier, Chad POV**

"Mr. Cooper, you're up," a stage hand announced.

I got ready to give another excellent performance, and got out there.

It was a monologue this time, but three minutes after the director had yelled 'action', my Sonny and her crew stomped in. I wanted to say anything, but Sonny looked so cute, being all angry. That was the main reason I like getting on her nerves, she just looked so beautiful.

I prepared myself for a long speech about something I did wrong, but the next moment, my beautiful, cute, funny… _my_ Sonny had crushed her lips to mine, and all reason melted from my brain.

I don't know how long the kiss lasted, it could have been three seconds, but it could just as well have been three hours. I loved this feeling, it was like nothing I'd ever felt before.

Unconsciously, I put my arms around her petite waist, and felt her hand in my hair, and the other on my shoulders. Hungrily, I bit her lower lip, and tried not to moan as her tongue slid over my teeth, requesting entry, which I gladly granted.

And then she was gone. She had broken the kiss. In her eyes I could see the lust dripping away, being replaced with worry and finally, guilt.

All this happened in less then a second.

"I didn't feel anything," she whispered, her sweet breath tickling my face. She turned around and walked out, her heels making the only sound in the otherwise silent room.

**A/N:**** Tell me what you think! don't worry, there's a second chapter, but I just couldn't resist letting you sit on the tips of you chairs ^^**

**Review, I promise I'll reply, and if I have the time, I'll look at you fics too and leave a reply**

**bye**

**Anne-Lilian  
**


	2. Happily ever after, after all

**A/N:**** without further ado; here's chapter 2, hope you'll enjoy ^^**

**Chapter two: Happily ever after, after all**

**Chad POV**

In all my life I'd felt a lot of hurt. I'd broken my arm when I was five, my ankle when I was nine, I had gotten in fights, I had (though I'd never admit this… to _anyone_) tripped and fallen a lot. But I had never in all my life imagined I could ever feel _this_ much pain. Not physical, but still.

She had just walked out, her beautiful brown curls bouncing behind her, seemingly not in the least affected by what we had just done. After about three seconds, the shocked Randoms also made their way back. Which triggered the frozen cast of his own show to go back to whatever it was they were doing before.

But I still stood there. The feeling of her lips on mine, the scent of her perfume, the taste of her tongue sparring with his… The hurt over what she just said…

In a daze he made his way to his dressing room. Vaguely, he registered someone calling his name and saying he had a scene to finish.

I locked my door and sat down on my couch. A wet patch appeared on my pants, and I realized I was crying. _'No'_ a voice deep inside me said, _'Chad Dylan Cooper does not cry, he gets dust in his eyes, nothing wrong with…'_ the voice faded away. He was alone now, he didn't care.

He let the silent tears fall as he buried his head in his arms.

He had felt the most amazing feeling known to mankind, and had it roughly ripped away from him.

So, yes, Chad Dylan Cooper cried. He cried for _his_ Sonny.

**Prop house, Sonny POV**

I looked everyone of my cast members in the eyes and told them the same I told Chad: "I didn't feel a thing," and retreated to my dressing room.

Once there, I relied on the fact that Tawni and Nico nearly always had a make-out session before rehearsal, while Grady played a game on their y-box 380.

So I locked the door, sat down on the couch, laid my head down and cried. How could I have done that to Chad, to myself? Was I really so proud I couldn't put it aside, and just ignore everything else? I could be happy with just Chad, couldn't I?

I picked up my phone and texted mom to call me to come home. A minute later, my phone moo-ed.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" mom's worried voice sounded in my ear.

"I think I did a really bad thing," I said in a broken voice.

"You're in no condition to drive, stay there, I'll come and get you."

One thing I love about my mom; she doesn't push, unlike my friends here. I couldn't believe they had made me do that… I couldn't believe I had done that.

When I looked up again, I saw a note laying at my feet.

'If you need anything, call me, I know how you feel,

Zora'

A phone number was written at the bottom. How the hell had she gotten in here? Through the vent? But wouldn't I have heard that?

Someone knocked on the door. I straightened my clothes, dried my tears and opened the door.

"Sonny, your mom's on her way, she's picking you up, is everything alright?" Marshal asked.

"I'll be fine." _'someday'_

He nodded, squeezed my shoulder and went back to his office.

I got ready to go home and sat there, waiting numbly. I could hold it all in 'till I was home.

"Let's go home, sweetie," mom said once she entered the dressing room. On the way outside, we had to hide behind a rack of clothes to avoid Grady and Nico.

We drove in my car in silence. Mom looked worried, but didn't say anything. At home, she sat me down on the couch and went to make me hot chocolate. Tears started dripping from my eyes again, as I stared at a magazine on the table with Chad's head on it.

"Now tell me what's wrong," mom asked gently. I took the cup from her and remained quiet for a few seconds. I thought back to all the times Chad had been nice to me.

The time he'd pretended to be my fan, the time we went on a fake date, the time he really wanted to get into 'the basement' and took the brat off my hands, the time we danced to no music, the time we'd sat in Chad's car, staring at the stars, the time he'd set up an audition for me to be fashionista, the time he'd stormed into my apartment thinking something was wrong with me, when the only thing that happened was my phone down the drain. And countless other times, but the most prominent one was at the talk-show, when he'd admitted there was _something_ going on between us. He'd said he didn't hate me the way he should, that he even enjoyed my company most of the time…

"I hurt someone I really care about… Just because I was too proud…" I sobbed onto mom's shoulder, letting go of any restriction I had put on myself since I'd left the studio.

**In the meantime, Chad POV**

My door was locked, the lights were off, I'd made sure I didn't have to be on set anymore today… All I wanted to do was sulk, and cry, and wallow in self-pity.

I'd thought about going home, but there were two problems with that: 1 I couldn't leave the studio until six, and 2 my parents would be there. My parents didn't care about me, they barely noticed I was around, except for my pay check, which theygladly spent on everything they wanted. Not like Sonny's mom. She came to the studio from time to time, she spent her nights with her daughter, she _talked _to her.

I had nobody to talk to. Sure I was the star of my own show, I had loads of money, but I had never had real friends. Only when I was young, before I got famous, I had a real best friend, Daniel, Danny.

Over the years, we had kept in touch, but only every once in a while. We just didn't have that much in common, and I wished I had better. But I had gotten a big head, thought I was better than some normal boy…

I picked up my phone and called him for the first time in over a year.

"Hullo," his cheerful voice said.

"Danny? It's me Chad. I know I don't have the right to say this, but I really need a friends right now. I really need you," I sounded miserable, even to myself, and I was grateful nobody but Danny could hear.

"Where are you?" he asked, concerned.

"Mentally or physically?" I asked sarcastically.

"You can fill me in on the mentally later, I mean your actual location."

"The studio,"

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," he said confidently. In the background, I could here a car door slam.

"Okay, I'll tell the security guard to let you through… Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"I really appreciate this,"

"It's okay, I just got into a fight with my dad again, and wanted to get away anyway, you just gave me a reason" he answered and with that, ended the conversation.

After calling the security to let his friend through, I just sat there, numb, until the door opened.

"I locked that door for a rea-" I started, but it was only Zora. "How did you get in here? _Why_ are you in here?"

"Oh, please, do you really think I don't know how to pick a lock? And I'm here to bring you something," she answered in that Zora-kind-of voice.

"What?" I asked, on guard, you never knew with this girl. That was the first time I noticed her clothing. She was wearing all black, some sort of spy-outfit.

"And what are you wearing?"

"I broke into the record room to steal the tape you were shooting before Sonny barged in," The way she said it made me think this wasn't the first time she'd done that.

"It took you this long to steal a tape? I've been sitting here for an hour,' I honestly thought she was better than that.

"Of course not, who do you think I am? Grady? No, I put it on DVD for you, you should watch it."

"Normally watching myself act _does_ cheer me up, but I don't think – Hey!"

Zora was ignoring me and just put the DVD in the player, and pressed play.

It started of with three minutes of monologue, which made me feel just a little bit better (I mean really, who doesn't feel better after watching _me_?), but then Sonny walked in and I watched the kiss, as Zora left the room again.

I watched it over and over again, until the door opened again.

"What did I tell you about the doo-" It was Danny. He looked much the same; still the same vibrant green eyes, still the same dark brown hair, he just looked more mature now, and he'd undergone a growth spurt. Where he used to be smaller than me, he was now a few inches bigger, and more muscled too.

"Danny,"

"Chad," his eyes fell on the TV screen, and he frowned.

"You didn't call me here to know whether or not your acting was any good did you?" he asked angrily.

"No, no! It's about a girl…"

"The great Chad Dylan Cooper asks his non-famous friend for girl-advice? That's a first," he said warily.

"This is serious, Danny, I think I really love this girl… Sonny…" I said as I watched the same scene play over again.

"This is the girl?" Danny asked, looking at the screen.

"Yes," I replied sadly, "Despite what she did to me, I still love her…"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it seem to you that she lost it there too? At least for a while. And look at her eyes as she broke the kiss… her pupils are dilated and she's smiling. I think _she _ was acting when she said that," He pointed out.

"But, why would she do that?" I asked.

"I don't know, has she ever been particularly cruel to you?"

I thought… and realized she hadn't, ever. "No, normally she's very bubbly, and happy, and friendly. Mostly it's me who's the stuck up idiot…"

We stared at the scene a couple more times, before Danny frowned and asked: "Why is there a menu on this disc if there's only this one scene?"

"What?" I clicked menu on the remote and picked the only other scene. I recognised it as the time when my Sonny had organised a peace picnic and it hadn't worked out, the time we didn't realise we were still being filmed.

The image changed. This was a part of the talk show 'Gotcha', when we'd admitted there was _something_ between us. Then the guest star episode from 'So Random!' was on. I really wanted to kiss her then, but the damn pig got in the way.

Next was Sonny singing her song; 'me, myself and time'.

Last was the kiss scene again, but only the kiss in slow motion.

I watched her, _really_ watched her, this time. She looked just as lost as me, and for the first time since those four words, I felt some hope.

"Do you… do you think… she could…?"

Danny smiled softly at me. "Yes, I think so. That girl is totally suckered on you, bro."

I jumped up from the couch, put my hands on his shoulders, and said: "I owe you one, feel free to use my dressing room." and the I sprinted flat out to the prop house.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"What are you doing here?" the blonde asked, her voice full of contempt. I didn't care.

Seeing she wasn't there, I ran to her dressing room, but that one was empty too.

Racing to Marshal's office, I couldn't keep the grin off my face. She loved me! I jumped up in the air, just for the fun of it.

"Marshal! Where's Sonny?" I shouted, even before I had reached the door.

I stormed in, and saw Marshal reading a pink book behind his desk. He quickly tried to hide it, but it fell to the ground. Before I could read the cover, he'd thrown his jacked on top, but I couldn't care less.

"Where's Sonny?"

"She went home with her mother, she didn't feel well," he answered, eying the book he'd dropped.

"What's wrong with her, is she all right?" I felt the worry coming up, and bolted out the door.

I ran toward the parking lot, got in my car, and drove to her house. But then I figured I'd better call first.

She didn't pick up… Didn't think she would.

I texted her: 'Heard you were sick, just pulled up in front of your building, coming'

Her mother answered the door and told me my Sonny didn't want to see me.

"She doesn't have to, just let her listen," I pleaded.

"Go away, Chad," her mother said in an icy tone, but her eyes seemed sympathetic. She closed the door.

I realized I was going to have to bring out the big guns. She wouldn't pick up the phone, she probably wouldn't talk to me at the studio… It was time for his secret weapon.

I took my phone and dialled the number.

"I'm listening," the voice said.

"It's time," I responded.

**Next day, Chad POV**

The plan was made, the preparations taken… nothing could possibly go wrong.

Then why did I feel so nervous?

They were in the middle of a sketch on the set of 'So Random!' while he had hidden backstage.

Zora had arranged to do a 'surprise sketch', which Marshal had agreed to only because she was blackmailing him.

It was time. I was hidden in the prop closet Zora allegedly needed, and was being put on the stage.

The crowd cheered, and Zora announced this was a special occasion, and the sketch was a little different from what they were used to.

That was my clue, I crawled out of the closet and got the microphone from Zora.

"Hello, my name's Chad, and I'm really here for just one person. She's a girl I think you all know, Sonny Munroe."

The crowd cheered again, though a little less enthusiastically, they still didn't really get what was going on.

"You see, we've always argued a lot, ever since she joined this show, when I thought she was a waitress and stole her frozen yoghurt and parking spot."

Chuckling.

"But a while ago, I realized I didn't hate her as much as I thought I did. In fact, I didn't hate her at all. I started paying more and more attention to her. The way she walks, the way her whole face lights up when she enjoys herself, the way her cute brown curls bounce as she walks… And two days ago, I realized something else…"

"Sonny Munroe,"

I turned to face her, as Zora pushed her on the stage.

"I love you-"

The audience cheered and wolf whistled like crazy, cat-calls sounded…

"Sonny Munroe, you're the one for me, and I don't care what you said yesterday. I love you and I'm not letting you go," I continued once the noise had died down.

"Awwww," the crowd… well, aw-ed

"Come on, chuckles, what's your answer?" I asked her. She looked not really sure what to do, but in her eyes was a sort of twinkle, that said she was happy.

She wanted to say something, so Zora handed her the other mic. "How… What I said… I…" her eyes teared up and she let them drop.

I was by her in a heartbeat, brushing them away. "I could see you were lying. All I need to know now is whether or not you love me back?"

I was putting my heart on the line here, if she said no, this would definitely make the news, and I'd be humiliated for the entire world to see, but I didn't care, my Sonny, chuckles, was worth it.

She thought for a while, the two most agonising seconds of my life. "If you get to call me chuckles, then what can I call you? Teardrop?" she said with a tiny smile.

I broke into a huge smile and lifted her off her feet. "Do you mean it?" I whispered.

She nodded and I couldn't resist anymore. I kissed her again.

Best moment of my life.

**Epilogue, Chad POV**

So, Sonny and I started dating, I kept in contact with Danny, and introduced Sonny to him. Blondie, tweedledim and tweedledum were against our relationship (disgusted would be a more proper word) but tried to put up with it for Sonny's sake, and because Zora –I was really starting to like this girl, however creepy she may be –blackmailed and threatened them.

When I asked the eleven-year-old why she helped us, she just smiled in that Zora way and said: "Wouldn't you like to know." Again, I had the feeling she was about to put her fingertips together, announce she was Mr Burns' daughter and laugh evilly.

Other than that, life went on in Condor studios, I still made a fool of myself every once in a

while, just to remind both Sonny and myself that we were worth fighting for.

**The end**

**A/N: ****Very long chappie, but I just couldn't help myself, I really like how it turned out, even though I didn't imagine it going like this, it has a mind of it's own ^^**

**okay, ATTENTION! a few notes here:**

**1 I have a few ideas for sequels, let me know if you want them (if there are going to be any, I'll call them the Danny-verse stories)  
2 I don't know anything about Chad's parents, so I'm sorry if I made them slightly bad  
3 What did you think of Danny? I know he seems a bit soft, and even a little gay, but he isn't, just so you know**

**That's all, so REVIEW and tell me what you think!  
**


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